ICPDR Executive Secretary Continues her Tour of the Danube with Slovenian Visit

News & Media 1 March 2023
Image of the Sava River below the Planica valley in Slovenia
The Sava River below the Planica Valley in Slovenia

With the start of her tenure as our Executive Secretary last summer, Birgit Vogel has set out to prioritize building solid professional relationships with ICPDR stakeholders and members, planning to personally visit as many Danube countries as possible. Ms. Vogel met with Uroš Brežan. Slovenian Water Minister, and a broad range of water actors on her latest visit to Slovenia.

Recently, the Slovenian Ministry for Natural Resources and Spatial Planning reached out to Ms. Vogel for a meeting in their offices in Ljubljana. During this extraordinary meeting, Ms. Vogel had the opportunity to meet with the minister Mr. Uroš Brežan. They discussed the importance of establishing effective flood forecasting and warning systems in the Sava Basin. They emphasized the need to combine development planning with measures that contribute to a better quality of water, food, energy, and climate security at local, state, and cross-boundary levels. In attendance at the meeting were also Slovenian representatives from the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO). During this meeting, Ms. Vogel presented the work of the ICPDR and the roadmap towards the new management cycle and the priorities until 2027.

This visit marks the 4th ICPDR member country (including Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and now Slovenia) Ms. Vogel has personally visited since her incumbency as ICPDR Executive Secretary this past summer. Ms. Vogel hopes that through these visits, the ICPDR can expand its personal relationship with its member countries and further strengthen the ICPDR cooperation on the path towards a cleaner, healthier, and safer Danube River Basin.

Source: ICPDR, Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia

Photo credits: Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia